Will L.A. Rockler Donate 5,000 Furs … to PETA?
Group Would Distribute the Coats to Homeless Shelters, Refugees, and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers
For Immediate Release:
March 9, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Following reports that Sheldon Rockler plans to retire, close the L.A. Rockler Fur Company, and auction off 5,000 fur garments at a steep discount, PETA sent him a letter this afternoon suggesting an alternative: Donate them to PETA.
PETA’s fur donation program accepts fur coats from people who inherited unwanted fur or who had a change of heart about supporting the fur industry—and they get a tax deduction to boot. The group sends the items to U.S. homeless shelters, to wildlife sanctuaries to be used as bedding for orphaned animals, or overseas to refugees in cold climates. Most recently, PETA shipped over 200 fur coats to those in need in Afghanistan.
“PETA can’t bring back the rabbits, minks, and foxes who were caged and electrocuted or trapped and beaten for their fur, but we can still help those in desperate need,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “By donating these fur coats, Mr. Rockler could help those who have few options in life—the only people with any excuse to wear them.”
While Rockler has suggested that other retailers could buy up his inventory, Minneapolis is currently considering an ordinance that would ban the sale of fur throughout the city.
PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear,” and the group opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to Rockler follows.
Sheldon Rockler
Owner
L.A. Rockler Fur Company
Dear Mr. Rockler,
Greetings from PETA. I’m writing on behalf of our more than 6.5 million members and supporters worldwide, including over 68,000 in Minnesota, to urge the L.A. Rockler Fur Company to cancel its plans to auction off 5,000 fur garments and instead help end the cruel era of wearing fur by donating the coats to PETA. We’d use them to offer warmth and comfort to those who need them most.
PETA and our affiliates receive thousands of fur coats from people all over the world who have had a change of heart after learning about the suffering endured by animals raised and killed for their fur. Fur donations to PETA are given to homeless shelters in the U.S. or refugees around the world or are used as bedding for sick or injured animals. For example, we boxed up more than 200 donated fur coats and sent them to Life for Relief and Development, and they were recently distributed to families with inadequate shelter facing freezing temperatures in Kabul, Afghanistan.
We understand that your family’s fur company dates back to the 1920s, when it was started by your father. As you know, a lot has changed since then, and fur is now a dying industry. Major fashion brands and retailers—including Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Versace, Burberry, Michael Kors, Macy’s, and many others—have ditched fur, and more than a dozen countries around the world have shut down fur farms. Last fall, California became the first U.S. state to ban fur sales, and the Minneapolis City Council is now considering a similar ban. Kind consumers are increasingly seeking out humane, sustainable options, such as faux fur made from hemp, frayed denim, or even recycled plastic bottles.
It’s not possible to bring back the rabbits, minks, foxes, and others who were caged and electrocuted for their fur, but with your help, we can bring a little warmth to people in desperate need while encouraging others to reject fur and choose compassion.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Danielle Katz
Campaigns Director
PETA
